(995) The impact of art therapy in women at risk for postpartum depression: a pilot study

Postpartum depression results in great distress for mothers and leads to impaired bonding with newborns. Finding useful interventions and prevention strategies are needed to decrease the growing incidence of postpartum depression.

Study Design: A randomized control trial was completed to assess how art therapy during pregnancy may impact women at risk for postpartum depression. Inclusion criteria included age greater than eighteen years, having at least one risk factor for postpartum depression, and receiving prenatal care with plans for delivery at our medical center. Participants were randomized into either the control or intervention group. The intervention group attended six online art therapy sessions during the late second trimester through the early third trimester. All participants completed Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screenings at time of enrollment, in the third trimester, and at six weeks postpartum. Comparison between groups was completed to assess differences.

Results:

Of the forty-three participants in the pilot study, twenty-one were in the control arm of the study and twenty-two participants were in the intervention arm. There were no significant differences of characteristics between the groups. The average EPDS score for the control group was 7 and was 8 for the intervention group. Figure 1 shows the ranges of EPDS scores. When comparing differences between the average EPDS scores at the start of participation, in the third trimester, and at six weeks postpartum, there were no statistically significant differences between groups [X² (1, N=43)=0.14, p=0.93]. Furthermore, participants’ depression screen results did not significantly differ from the controls’ when comparing results from the start of participation to the conclusion [X² (1, N=43)=0.03, p=0.86].

Conclusion:

Participating in art therapy during pregnancy did not have a significant role in reducing EPDS scores in women who are at risk for postpartum depression. However, this is a small pilot study and further investigation on the use of art therapy in the pregnant population is needed.